Fragmentation of lead-free and lead-based hunting rifle bullets under real life hunting conditions in Germany

Distribution of trace metals and metalloids in tissues of Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) from Southern Italy

Heavy metals and metalloids in the environment are recognised as a threat to the health of organism. Terrestrial birds are ideal subjects for the examination of these pollutants because of their high mobility and high intra- and interspecific variation in trophic levels. We examined the contents of 6 trace metals (Cd, Pb, Cr, Sb and V) and metalloids (As) in the liver, kidney, muscle, and feathers of woodcocks (Scolopax rusticola) from Southern Italy by a validated ICP-MS method. Significant differences in trace elements were found in all the tissues examined (p < 0.05). The highest Sb and Cr levels were found in feathers samples with mean values of 0.019 mg/Kg and 0.085 mg/Kg, respectively. High Pb levels were found in muscle, with 23 % of the samples exceeding the limits set by the European Union. Cd was predominantly found in the kidney samples (0.76 mg/Kg). Vanadium was the less abundant trace metal, showing the highest concentrations in the liver (0.028 ± 0.011 mg/Kg). Higher As levels were found in muscle (0.02 ± 0.015 mg/Kg). No significant differences between sex and age classes (juveniles vs. adults) were found, nor were there correlations between morphometric parameters and trace metal/metalloid contents. Principal Component Analysis determined differences in metal accumulation between tissues. Feathers were confirmed as useful indicators of metal contamination. The results of this work confirmed that the accumulation of toxic elements in the tissues of woodcocks is primarily influenced by ecological traits such as feeding habits and migration status. Statistical analysis of the tissues would seem to exclude important accumulation phenomena of Pb. The high levels found in the muscle could be due to lead ammunition. This work provides the first data on the accumulation of As, Cr, Sb, and V in woodcocks tissue, providing a more comprehensive insight into the potential impact of these pollutants on birds.

Overview of game meat utilisation challenges and opportunities: A European perspective

Re-wilding and similar initiatives have resulted in an increase in wildlife suitable for human consumption in Europe. However, game meat production and consumption present several challenges, including infectious diseases which pose risks to livestock, processers, and consumers. This review provides insights into the infectious diseases and toxic contaminants associated with game meat. The effect of killing method on the meat quality is also discussed and means of improving the meat quality of game meat is elucidated. The use of different food safety systems that could be applied to provide safe meat is reported. The importance of collaborative multi-sector approaches is emphasized, to generate and distribute knowledge and implement One Health strategies that ensure the safe, traceable, sustainable, and professional development of commercial game meat supply chains.

Fragmentation of hunting bullets observed with synchrotron radiation: Lighting up the source of a lesser-known lead exposure pathway

Bullet fragments have been previously observed in the remains and edible portions of big game animals that were harvested using rifles. The fragmentation issue has attracted attention because traditional hunting bullets are more than 70% lead, which is toxic to humans and scavengers in the ecosystem. We prepared gunshot wounds in ballistic gelatin blocks, and then applied synchrotron X-ray imaging technology to the bullet fragmentation process for the first time. The K edge subtraction (KES) imaging method allowed a clear separation of lead in an image from false positives, including the other major bullet component, copper, and non-lead objects such as bone fragments. The superior brightness of synchrotron radiation was also harnessed to resolve thousands of embedded sub-10 μm fragments, a size range not previously observed using commonly applied X-ray imaging modalities. The results challenge the current understanding of the maximum extent that fragments may be distributed, and the effectiveness of imaging methods used to screen wild game donations at food banks for lead bullet fragments.

Physical Hazards in Aepyceros melampus Carcasses Killed for Meat Purposes by Aerial and Thoracic Shots

Physical hazards, such as bullet particles and bone fragments, in wild meat could be introduced by processes applied whilst killing game meat animals. These hazards may pose a health risk to non-suspecting consumers and must therefore be identified, evaluated and removed from meat and meat products. The extent of dispersion of these hazards in carcasses has not been sufficiently investigated with respect to game meat safety. This study aims to describe and quantify the occurrence of these hazards in animals shot by aerial (helicopter) shotgun targeting the head and higher neck region (n = 12) and single-projectile/free-bullet rifle shots targeting the thorax region (n = 36) of impala killed for meat consumption. To quantify the occurrence, particle sizes and dispersion surface of bullet fragments and bone splinters in the forequarters, radiographs were taken from top to bottom (dorsal ventral) and from the side (lateral) in the sequence of the skull, neck and forequarters. A t-test (p < 0.05) was conducted to compare the association of averages from the killing methods with the occurrences of bullet fragments and bone splinters. Bullet particles and bone splinters of significant sizes were introduced by the killing methods adopted. The results show a high incidence of harmful bullet particle and bone splinter sizes from the rifle thorax shots (p = 0.005). The dispersion of both physical hazards could cover a wide distance of >332 mm between particles on hunted game meat animals. Game meat animal killing methods with a rifle targeting the chest cavity should be refined and implemented. These should include the selection of bullets less prone to fragmentation, and compliance with regulated game meat animal-killing protocols, including regulating the placement of shots to allow only head or high neck shots for game meat animals slaughtered/culled for human consumption.

Toxic Metals in Wild Ungulates and Domestic Meat Animals Slaughtered for Food Purposes: A Systemic Review

The presence of toxic metals in harvested game meat is a cause for concern for public health and meat safety in general. Authorities and food safety agencies continue to develop guidelines and limits of the maximum allowable levels of toxic metals in food products. However, the situation is different for game meat products in developing countries, where a number of shortcomings have been identified. This includes a lack of game meat animal slaughter regulations, specific species' product limits that have not yet been established and the continued use of hunting or game meat animals' harvesting plans that could introduce the same toxic metals of concern. This review was conducted from English literature published between 2011 and 2021; it highlights the possible health effects and the shortcomings in the implementation of game meat safety production strategies for toxic metals (Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium and Mercury) in game meat animal production. Lead (Pb) remains the most significant threat for toxic metals contamination in game meat animals and the slaughter processes. In most developing countries, including in South Africa, the monitoring and control of these heavy metals in the game meat value chain has not yet been implemented.

Lead Levels in Wild Boar Meat Sauce (Ragù) Sold on the Italian Market

Game meat is endowed with excellent nutritional value, but it may also be a possible source of harmful substances, such as mycotoxins and heavy metals. In particular, several studies showed that lead fragments from hunting ammunition are able to represent a residual contaminant in the meat of wild boars or deer, representing a possible source of lead absorption. Even though wild boar meat consumption in Italy is rather limited, this meat could also be present in very popular Italian recipes, such as the typical meat sauce called ragù. We evaluated the lead levels in 48 samples (three different batches for each of the 16 brands) of ready-to-eat wild boar meat ragù sold on the Italian market in food stores and online distribution with the inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique. A high variability was found in the lead levels detected in the samples, with a median lead level of 0.10 mg/kg (0.01–18.3 mg/kg) and some of the samples showing very high lead concentrations. Since no intake level of lead is considered completely safe, and maximum levels for game meat have so far not been established, a greater attention on the risks to consumers’ health related to the presence of this heavy metal in game meat is recommended.

A comparison of fragmenting lead-based and lead-free bullets for aerial shooting of wild pigs

In response to the health threats posed by toxic lead to humans, scavenging wildlife and the environment, there is currently a focus on transitioning from lead-based to lead-free bullets for shooting of wild animals. We compared efficiency metrics and terminal ballistic performance for lead-based and lead-free (non-lead) bullets for aerial shooting of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in eastern Australia. Ballistic testing revealed that lead-based and lead-free bullets achieved similar performance in precision and muzzle kinetic energy (E0) levels (3337.2 J and 3345.7 J, respectively). An aerial shooting trial was conducted with wild pigs shot with one type of lead-based and one type of lead-free bullets under identical conditions. Observations were made from 859 shooting events (n = 430 and 429 respectively), with a sub-set of pigs examined via gross post-mortem (n = 100 and 108 respectively), and a further sub-set examined via radiography (n = 94 and 101 respectively). The mean number of bullets fired per pig killed did not differ greatly between lead-based and lead-free bullets respectively (4.09 vs 3.91), nor did the mean number of bullet wound tracts in each animal via post-mortem inspection (3.29 vs 2.98). However, radiography revealed a higher average number of fragments per animal (median >300 vs median = 55) and a broader distribution of fragments with lead-based bullets. Our results suggest that lead-based and lead-free bullets are similarly effective for aerial shooting of wild pigs, but that the bullet types behave differently, with lead-based bullets displaying a higher degree of fragmentation. These results suggest that aerial shooting may be a particularly important contributor to scavenging wildlife being exposed to lead and that investigation of lead-free bullets for this use should continue.

Until It's a regulation It's not my fight: Complexities of a voluntary nonlead hunting ammunition program

Wildlife and human health are at risk of lead exposure from spent hunting ammunition. Lead exposure persists for bald eagles due to bullet fragments in game animal gut piles and unretrieved carcasses, and is also a human health risk when wild game is procured using lead ammunition. Programs encouraging the voluntary use of nonlead ammunition have become a popular approach mitigating these effects. This study explored attitudes and experiences of United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) staff implementing an outreach program encouraging deer hunters to voluntary use nonlead ammunition on 54 National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) in the Upper Midwest, U.S. to understand factors affecting program implementation. We conducted 29 semi-structured interviews of USFWS staff along with 60 responses from an open-ended survey question. Twelve themes emerged from the data and were grouped into three broad categories: (1) challenges of dealing with complex issues, (2) importance of messengers and messages, and (3) resistance from staff. Challenges of dealing with complex issues included administrative restraint and uncertainty, scope and scale of program, human health not an agency responsibility, contextual political influences, and public-private collaborations. Importance of messengers and messages included the importance of experience, and salience of human health risk. Finally, resistance from staff included skepticism of the science and motives behind the program, competing priorities for refuge staff, differing perceptions of regulatory and voluntary approaches, cost and availability of nonlead ammunition, and disregard by some about lead ammunition and human health risks. Staff identified numerous challenges implementing the program, many of which were external factors beyond the control of the participants. Understanding the factors affecting program implementation may help guide future efforts encouraging the voluntary use of nonlead ammunition.

Setting maximum levels for lead in game meat in EC regulations: An adjunct to replacement of lead ammunition

Each year, hunters from 12 of the 27 European Union (EU) countries and the UK shoot over 6 million large game mammals, 12 million rabbits and hares and over 80 million birds. They support an international game meat market worth over 1.1 thousand million Euros. Animals shot with lead ammunition frequently contain lead fragments in the carcass which contaminate meals made from game meat with concentrations of lead substantially above the maximum allowable level (ML) set by European Commission Regulation EC1881/2006 for meat from domesticated animals. This poses a health risk to frequent consumers of wild-shot game meat, with children and pregnant women being particularly vulnerable. Total replacement of lead rifle and shotgun ammunition with available non-toxic alternatives is needed for all hunting in EU nations to prevent exposure of humans and wildlife to ammunition-derived lead and to allow the depletion of the long-term environmental legacy of lead from spent ammunition. We propose that EC1881/2006 is amended to incorporate an ML for game meats as a supplementary measure to the replacement of lead ammunition. This would harmonise food safety standards for lead in meats traded across and imported into the EU.